Monday, June 17, 2013

Target: Leghorn

The pink bomb suspended in Via Sant'Omobono is a work of Valerio Michelucci and Stefano Pilato and was placed to remember the 70th anniversary of the first Allied bombing of Livorno on May 28th, 1943. It was the first of a long series of air raids that obliterated the city center, destroyed the port and blew up the refineries, causing hundreds of civilian casualties.

The laconic comment on a bomb tag, saved by a crew member of a B-17, says: “Went to Leghorn, north of Rome, farthest we've gone yet. Blew up oil refinery and docks, light flak and only about five fighters.”